Hey, friends! If you’ve known me for a while, you probably know that one of my biggest struggles in my mental health journey has been crippling anxiety. It has taken years of therapy and coaching along with supplements (maybe I’ll write another post about this) to get to where I feel that it is mostly under control. You probably also know that I love to read (I listen to books on audible to be precise). Today I want to share a book that has been a game-changer in my journey to manage anxiety. I actually heard about it years ago but then one of my favorite influencers, Amber Fillerup Clark, who has been on a similar journey of self-discovery over the past few years was reading it so I decided to give it a listen.

We all know that anxious feeling, right? It’s like our brains have this overactive security system that keeps sounding alarms even when there’s no real danger. Well, I found a book that’s been so helpful: The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer.

When my anxiety flares up, it feels like there’s a voice in my head narrating all the things that could go wrong. I mean, seriously, who knew my inner voice could be so dramatic? But in the first part of The Untethered Soul, Singer talks about this exact thing. He says we’re not the voice itself; we’re the ones listening to it. That was a revelation for me! Just realizing that I’m the observer and not the thoughts themselves helped me create a little distance from my anxiety.

Singer also explains how we can get stuck in a loop of negative emotions and thoughts that block our energy. Think of it like a traffic jam in your mind. But the good news is that you can let go of these roadblocks. The book offers insights into keeping our energy flowing, which is crucial because anxiety loves to feed on blocked energy.

So, here’s the thing I’ve started doing whenever anxiety hits: I take a deep breath and remind myself that this is just my brain doing its job of trying to keep me safe. I acknowledge the alarm but gently tell myself that I’m not in any immediate danger. It’s like telling my brain, “Thanks for looking out for me, but I got this!” This practice has been incredibly soothing and has helped me respond to anxiety more calmly.

Another great tip from the book is about letting go of attachments to past experiences or fears of the future. Let’s be real, we all have those moments where we replay embarrassing memories or worry about things that haven’t even happened yet. Singer suggests living in the present moment, which sounds simple, but is surprisingly powerful. I’ve been working on being more mindful and focusing on the now, which has reduced my anxiety quite a bit.

The idea of connecting with our “higher self” is also really comforting. Singer encourages us to transcend our personal limitations and embrace a more profound understanding of life. It’s about seeing the bigger picture and not getting bogged down by every little worry. Trust me, it’s liberating!

Finally, the book talks about acceptance and surrender. It’s not about giving up, but rather accepting what we can’t control and letting go of the need to have everything figured out. Living with an open heart, as Singer puts it, has made such a difference in how I handle stress and anxiety.

In the end, The Untethered Soul has been a source of so much truth that I’ve been able to use to guide me through the ups and downs of anxiety. It doesn’t promise to eliminate anxiety completely, but it does offer practical tools to help us cope and find peace in the chaos. If you’re on the same journey, I highly recommend giving it a read. Who knows, it might be just what you need to untangle your own anxious thoughts and find some serenity.

Until next time,
Kendra